After a year away from MMA, former UFC middleweight Drew McFedries is ready to return to action at the Titan Fighting Championships 16 on Friday, Feb. 28 in Kansas City, Kan.

“Usually I have a little bit of anxiety (leading up to a fight), that I think anybody does, but I actually feel pretty good,” McFedries told MMAWeekly.com. “My weight’s coming down well, I feel stronger than I ever have and I feel like I’m in great shape. I’m really looking forward to the match.”

If McFedries sounds rejuvenated, it is because he feels he is, after spending the past year enjoying his personal life following a hectic pace in the years previous.

“Sometimes you work real hard and work yourself into a position where you can take time off and enjoy life a little bit, and that’s what I was doing,” said McFedries. “Getting out there doing some shooting, hunting and fishing and just enjoying life, working on old cars and doing the things I enjoy in life.

“I was in the UFC for three years and had nine fights for them and staying in peak shape all the time can kind of wear on you. It was nice to get a little fat and hang out for a little while.”

McFedries had initially intended to return last September, when an injury kept him from facing Joey Villasenor in Shark Fights.

Now healthy, McFedries wants to prove in the New Year that there’s more to him than many people would think.

“People say I have a weak ground game, but that’s something that unless you train with me, you really don’t know,” stated McFedries. “I feel like my ground game is as good as anybody’s, but I just don’t like fighting on the ground. I’m not interested in jiu-jitsu matches or anything like that, my main thing is stand-up.

“I think I’m a really well-rounded fighter, but my boxing just happens to be my stand-out feature. If you have something that you’re really good at, it’s easy for people to say you’re weak in other areas, which I don’t feel I am. I don’t believe I’ve changed much, but I would like to demonstrate that I have those other skills.”

At Titan FC 16, McFedries will face off against Gary Tapasua in a fight he feels complements his fighting style.

“I think we’re going to box it out for the most part,” said McFedries. “I don’t really see anything from him that I haven’t seen in the past. If anything, I think he may be a little awkward or a little off – because of his experience level – and I may be a little crisper.

“It’s probably going to be a pretty quick fight. I think he’s going to come out and go hard, and I’m going to do the same and whatever happens, happens. I think somebody gets clipped or knocked out and that will be the end of the show.”

Now that he’s gotten back into the swing of things, McFedries is looking to stay active in 2011.

“I want to get active again and try to have at least four fights this year,” he commented. “I think that’s the goal, win or lose it doesn’t matter to me. I’m not really big on wanting to dominate the world, getting a big title shot, yada… yada… yada…

“I’m a very straight-forward person who loves the competition. Whoever the opponents are, they are, and I’m just going to keep gunning for bigger and better.”